Jun20

Vile Creature – Glory, Glory! Apathy Took Helm! Review

By GardensTale on June 18, 2020 in Reviews, Black Metal, Doom Metal, Drone, 41 comments

“A couple of years ago, I saddled myself with the record Cast of Static and Smoke by Ontarian duo Vile Creature. It turned out to be perhaps the most memorable 3.0 I have reviewed these past 4 years. Despite its flaws, it was an ambitious record that thrived on hideous, grimy textures, hypnotic repetition and glacial progression, rather than hooks or energy. A bit over 2 years hence, and its follow-up graces my inbox, with a disturbing, Midsommar-esque cover and featuring the unwieldy title of Glory, Glory! Apathy Took Helm!.” Helm’s deep.

Operus – Score of Nightmares Review

By Emya on June 18, 2020 in Reviews, Symphonic Metal, 34 comments

“What do you get when you cross a cellist who has performed on stage alongside the Trans-Siberian Orchestra with the bassist of thrash metal band Annihilator? Theatrical power metal would not be my first guess.” Stage and scream.

Curse the Son – Excruciation Review

By Doom_et_Al on June 17, 2020 in Reviews, Doom Metal, 8 comments

“Character, they say, is forged in adversity. Or at least that’s what management tells me every time I see myself rostered for yet another shift in the AMG Skull Pit™. Curse the Son know all about adversity, having had a constantly rotating line-up since the band formed in 2008. In addition, bassist Brendan O’Keefe suffered extensive injuries after a motorcycle accident in November 2018, necessitating a long road back to recovery. Basically, a lot of shit has happened to the band since the release of 2017’s Isolator, and Curse the Son is ready to tell you all about it.” Tough truckin’.

Vampire – Rex Review

By Grymm on June 17, 2020 in Reviews, Death Metal, Thrash Metal, 16 comments

“When we last heard from Swedish vampires, err… Vampire, they impressed me in 2017 with their Castlevania II/80’s inspired With Primeval Force, and although it didn’t crack my Top Ten(ish) that year, it still worms its way into my listening sessions on a continual basis around these parts. I was beginning to worry that the merry (undead) quintet would lay dormant, so imagine my surprise when the higher-ups threw Rex at my lap and told me to get on that shit, pronto.” Rex the necks.

Eye of Nix – Ligeia Review

By Kenstrosity on June 17, 2020 in Reviews, Black Metal, Doom Metal, 11 comments

“Pinpointing the core sound Eye of Nix conjures proved difficult this last week and change. On one hand, I recognize the elements that compose the content within Ligeia—black metal, doom metal, opera, post-metal, a twist of psychedelia—but I struggle to come to a concrete solution as to what this record is.” The naming game.

Firelink – Firelink Review

By Kenstrosity on June 16, 2020 in Reviews, Black Metal, Melodic Black Metal, 68 comments

“It’s only been thirteen months, but here we are. A new Firelink record. For those who missed it, The Inveterate Fire burst out of nowhere in May of last year, searing the ground with each blackened step through the burgeoning field of Dark Souls-themed metal. Melodic, devastating, and deceivingly mature, that first Firelink shrine blazed high up my year-end list. Needless to say, my expectations for Firelink reached unreasonable temperatures immediately after first learning of its release.” Fi-YAH!

Cro-Mags – In the Beginning Review

By Steel Druhm on June 16, 2020 in Reviews, 31 comments

“The Cro-Mags story is one as brash, bold and bruising as the New York City streets that birthed the seminal hardcore act. Their The Age of Quarrel debut was an instant classic, making them a supporting column of the burgeoning New York hardcore scene during the 80s. However, near constant infighting and massive personality conflicts between founder/bassist Harley Flanagan and on and off again frontman, John Joseph Bloodclot, all but assured their reign would be brief. Their history reads like a never ending feud between members and their discography suffered greatly from all the dysfunctions and malfunctions.” Born again hard.

Greyhawk – Keepers of the Flame Review

By Holdeneye on June 16, 2020 in Reviews, Heavy Metal, 68 comments

“The other day, I was eating lunch with my 6-year-old son Ezkaton, and I swear to God, he gazed out the window with a thousand-yard stare and said the following without any prompting and without any music playing in the background: “Dad, I don’t know why I like Greyhawk so much. I don’t even try to like them, but they just make me like them.”” Sons of iron.

Fornicus – Sulphuric Omnipotence Review

By Mark Z. on June 15, 2020 in Reviews, Black Metal, Death Metal, 22 comments

“Fornicus was a name I never expected to see in our promo bin again. Formed in 2012, this Kentucky group first came to my attention with their terrific 2014 debut Storming Heaven, a sweaty and dynamic piece of blackened death metal that at times reminded me of other great American acts like Ares Kingdom and Abominant.” What’s burning? YOU!

Anonymus – La Bestia Review

By Diabolus in Muzaka on June 14, 2020 in Reviews, Thrash Metal, 16 comments

“We don’t hear a lot of Spanish in my part of Ontario, and I’d think there’d be even less in Franco-centric Quebec, where Anonymus hails from. They’ve been at this thrash metal thing since 1989 and have written entire albums in English and French. With La Bestia, they’re officially a trilingual thrash troupe.” Plenty of tongue.